WHAT BRITAIN IS DOING

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 29, 3 August 1923, Page 7

WHAT BRITAIN IS DOING

ASSISTANCE FOR WORKS

PAYMENT OF HALF INTEREST.

(UNITES FRBSS ASSOCIATION.— COPTRMB?.)

(ABSTBAUAN - HIK ZEAIiAHD CABLB ASSOCIATION.)

(Received 3rd August, 10 a.m.)

LONDON, 2nd August.

The question of unemployment was raised in the House of Commons by Mr. G. Lansbury (Labour), who emphasised that the position was getting worse daily. He suggested an appeal to the country for a loan for productive works.

Sir Montague Barlow, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour, said that the number of unemployed registered at the beginning of the year was 1,485,000; it was now 1,185,000. Last winter the figure averaged 1,345,000. He hoped this winter would be no worse;! but only a, rash man would suggest: that it was going to be much better. The principal methods of alleviating; •the trouble were the export credit! scheme and the Trade Facilities Act. j Under the export credits scheme, £26,-' «00,000 had been borrowed, but only £14,000,000 of credit was now being utilised, so that there was an ample .j margin. The Trade Facilities Act had proved the most fertile expedient. Guarantees to the extent of £26,000,000 were i now being used. The expenditure for I the year had been £7,500,000, giving a year's work to 27,000 men. The Government was determined to launch a new scheme of financial co-operation between revenue-producing and non-re-venue-producing proposals. The 'basis would be -a grant equal to 50 per cent, of the interest on a loan, for not less than ten years, which should help local authorities in launching tramways, electricity, and gas undertakings. It was estimated that at least 200,000 men could be employed off these schemes, >and another 100,000 would be indirectly employed.' The hope for the immediate, future lay in the re-establishment of peace in Europe and a good harvest in 1 : Britain. I. BRITAIN'S UNIQUE BURDEN. || Sir Robert Home said: "Germany ■ stands to-day with her great industrial 1 organisation reconstructed, and condi-i tions of efficiency with which we have! ■nothing to compare. France is steadily j re-equipping herself industrially. There £ is a completely false idea in Britain) and France regarding the relative posi-; tions of the two countries because we! are meeting our expenditure. Fiance 1 thinks we are too wealthy to be con- • sidered in Uub matter. We are only; meeting our expenditure by- putting an,: almost unbearable strain on the whole resources of the country. France to-day has not only re-established her trade; last year she had a greater volume of exports and imports than before the war. We are still struggling on with 70 ■ per cent, of our pre : war trade, and two of our competitors,are making no effort; to pay our debt. If our competitors are,; to become free of the burdens which i we have to bear, if we are the only I people to, pay war .indemnity, then unem- ;| ployjnefatT will; increase;, in. this country !l by leaps and bounds." Mr. Neville Chamberlain said the Gov-' ernmeht intended putting a bolder 1 scheme of emigration before the Im | perial Conference. The Government; could not send assisted people away at a greater rate than the Dominions were prepared to receive them. There was no difficulty in finding people desirous of going, or in finding to financial assistance required. Unemployment had been a nightmare during the last three years; but little progress could be made: until the European problem had been settled.